Dear ILDS Members, friends and colleagues,

Welcome to the first ILDS newsletter of 2024! As we step into this new year, we look forward to supporting our Members, learning from each other, and creating more meaningful collaborations as we continue to work towards our joint goal of #SkinHealth4theWorld.

The ILDS Board started the year with a very productive trip to Moshi, Tanzania, to attend the 29th Regional Dermatology Training Center (RDTC) Continuing Medical Education (CME) Conference & Past Graduate Reunion. Attended by over 400 delegates (in person and online), the conference was a huge success. Congratulations to the RDTC and Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre (KCMC) staff for such a triumphant event. We also thank the RDTC for kindly hosting a 2-day Board meeting which enabled many important discussions to move the ILDS forward over the next term.

We continue to see great developments and successes from our projects, programmes and collaborations and I encourage you to get involved where you can. There are opportunities for ILDS Members to nominate Chairs for WCD2027, or to be considered for a prestigious Certificate of Appreciation 2024 Award as well as supporting an initiative/project through a DermLink Grant 2024 application. Please do continue to get involved and make the most of the many benefits ILDS membership offers.

Thank you for being part of our vibrant community. Let’s make 2024 a further year of growth, connection, and shared experiences!

With warm personal greetings,

Henry

Welcome to our new staff member - Jianing Li, who started working with ILDS in December as the new Grants Coordinator. Jianing has has a wealth of experience in project and grant coordination and has already launched the application process for the DermLink Grants Programme 2024 with great success. Find out more about Jianing and the ILDS staff here.

ILDS Members can submit up to two (2) nominations for the ILDS Certificate of Appreciation Awards 2024 until 29 February 2024. Awarded in Humanitarian Dermatology or International Leadership, nominate those making waves in your Society today. Check your inbox for your unique link to submit nominations. Find out more about the Awards here.

The 2024 DermLink Grants Programme is now open for applications! We welcome applications from anywhere in the world to undertake initiatives that help patients with skin disease in underserved parts of the world. However, all applications need to be supported by an ILDS Member and we particularly welcome applications from Patient Organisations. Deadline for applications: 29 February 2024. Find out more here.

The 2023 DermLink Grant Recipients were announced in December with support provided to 13 projects from under-sderved areas around the world. These projects will improve access to #SkinHealth services and awareness of skin health issues among low-resource and vulnerable communities. Read more about the recipients here.

In January, the Regional Dermatology Training Centre (RDTC) in Moshi, Tanzania hosted the first ILDS Board meeting of 2024. It was a productive two-day meeting with intensive discussion for the 2023-2027 ILDS strategy. We will share with ILDS Members when we have finalised the details. See highlights here.

WCD2027 - ILDS Members are invited to submit nominations for Chairs who are expert in their dermatology field for consideration by WCD2027 Scientific Programme Committee. Check your inbox for details on how to submit your nominations. PLEASE NOTE: This is a member benefit. Not a member? Join our community.

WCD2031 - Watch this space! We will be launching the bidding process for the 2031 World Congress of Dermatology in March so please check your inbox for updates. We will also update the Members Corner and dedicated webpage when announced.

In 2023, the World Skin Health Day (WSHD) campaign made remarkable strides, expanding its reach to 23 countries and achieving a 21% increase in global participation. This year's focus on diversity and inclusivity reached over 8 million people via TV, newspapers, social media, and posters while treating over 40,000 patients and providing dermatological training to 916 healthcare workers, patients, and advocates. Read more here.

The 29th Regional Dermatology Training Center (RDTC) Continuing Medical Education (CME) Conference & Past Graduate Reunion 2024 was held from 10 - 12 January 2024 at KCMC in Moshi, Tanzania. The conference, attended by over 400 delegates, was a resounding success and provided an important opportunity for graduates to improve their skills and learn from speakers from all over the world, including some of the ILDS Board Members. Watch our highlights from Day 1 and Day 2/3

The latest CSH Journal issues (19(1) and 19(2)) are now available to read. These include reports on the significance of improving the availability of reliable healthcare information on skin disorders, a case report on the fixed drug eruption from consumption of chickens and more. Read current and past issues here.

Within our collaborative work with the WHO on Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD), the ILDS made landmark contributions to OpenWHO NTD courses. This includes the new course on Superficial Fungal Infections, which already has >4000 online learners, reiterating ILDS' steadfast commitment to improvement of global skin health. Find out more here.

In October 2023, the Noncommunicable Diseases area of collaboration witnessed the first joint meeting of global atlases, Global Psoriasis Atlas (GPA), Global Atopic Dermatitis Atlas (GADA), Global Hidradenitis Suppurativa Atlas (GHiSA), and Global Vitiligo Atlas (GVA), during the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (EADV) Conference in Berlin, Germany, consolidating efforts in this critical area.

In November 2023, the World Health Organization (WHO) unveiled the enhanced version of the Skin NTDs App - a ground-breaking tool assisting front-line health workers around the world to be able to diagnose and manage skin-related Neglected Tropical Diseases (skin NTDs). Find out more here.

On behalf of the ILDS Board and Secretariat, we hope you will join us in extending a very sincere welcome to the newest ILDS Members to join our unique community.

Ethiopian Dermatology and Venereology Society

Emirates Dermatology Society

International Society of Teledermatology

Observer Society

Member Society

Affiliated Society

Iraqi Society of Dermatologists and Venereologists

Observer Society

Middle East International Dermatology & Aesthetic Medicine (MEIDAM) Association

Observer Society

Italian Society of Legal and Forense Dermatology

Observer Society

Are you a member of a dermatological society that is not listed in our Member Directory?

Please do ask your President to check the criteria for membership and consider joining our unique community of dermatological societies. It is only through our collaborations with Members, partners and sponsors we are able to promote the life-changing work dermatologists do around the world to make the changes needed to ensure #SkinHealth4theWorld.

Applications are now open for the GLODERM Mentorship Programme which will bring together successful mentee applicants, who either live or work in resource-limited settings, with global health dermatology experts for a one-on-one mentorship experience lasting 12 months. An introductory video from Dr Esther Freeman can be found within the application form here.

The next free GLODERM Educational Webinar is on 20 February 2024. focusing on "Cosmetic Rejuvenation with Technology" with Dr Priyanka Yadav. Dr Yadav's expertise will shine a light on this fascinating topic, followed by a live Q&A session where you will have the opportunity to ask your questions. Register for free here.

Get involved! - We would be delighted to share news of ILDS Member organisations' events and webinars on our website and in our newsletters (terms and conditions apply).

Click here to submit your event/webinar details